The present invention relates to a patient support apparatus, and more particularly, to a patient support apparatus having an x-ray cassette support.
It is known to have stretchers or beds in hospitals used in emergency room settings where they are used to serve a variety of functions. For example, the stretcher or bed may serve as a bed whilst a patient is awaiting treatment, and may also be used to transport the patient. Frequently, the stretcher or bed also serves as an examination table, surgery table and an x-ray table for taking x-rays of patients before, during, or after surgical operations.
Typical stretchers or beds that also serve as x-ray tables have an x-ray cassette support which is located beneath an x-ray transparent horizontal bed surface.
It is known that such beds or stretchers need accessories to position the x-ray cassette under the bed surface. In order to take the x-rays, a positioning rod with a hook at its end, is used to engage a handle of the x-ray cassette tray to position the tray under the bed surface. Graduations are provided on the rod so that the x-ray cassette tray can be located in the same position for a succession of photographs.
The frame supporting the stretcher or bed surface has a graduated scale along the length of at least one side. The units of the graduated scale of the rod correspond to the units of the graduated scale of the frame. The rod graduated scale can increase numerically from the handle end to the engaging means end or from the engaging means end to the handle end.
In use, the technician looks at the frame scale from the side of the apparatus, and determines the frame scale number that is adjacent the body section to be x-rayed. The technician then walks to the foot end of the frame, engages the rod with the x-ray cassette tray and pushes the rod until the rod scale number corresponding with the desired frame scale number appears in line with the end of the frame. In this way, the apparatus provides for accurate positioning of the x-ray cassette tray.
However, the process of determining the frame scale and each corresponding rod graduation for a particular position of x-ray is time consuming and tedious.
The present invention seeks to provide a patient support apparatus with an improved x-ray tray positioning means, overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a patient support apparatus having a frame supporting a surface for a patient to lie on, the frame comprising means to support at least one x-ray cassette tray along its length under the patient surface, the x-ray cassette tray housing an x-ray cassette, the x-ray cassette tray provided with means for movement thereof, such that in use, the moving means provides a direct reference to the position of the x-ray cassette within the tray under the patient surface.
Preferably, the moving means is a handle with an indicator corresponding to the top edge of the x-ray cassette and more preferably, the indicator is visible along the side of the frame under the patient support surface. In this way the handle is pushed to position the x-tray cassette to the required position, the position of the indicator along the side of the frame showing exactly where the x-ray cassette is under the patient support surface. There is no requirement to match numbers along the frame and the means for pushing the x-ray tray as with the prior art.
Preferably, the handle is stored within the tray when not in use. The handle may also be telescoping or rotatably mounted to allow for storage within the tray when not in use.
The invention will now be described by example and with reference to the following drawings in which: